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Executive SummarySmall-business needs are more demanding than ever. Modern devices are critical to beat the competition, stay on top

of industry trends, maintain accurate inventories, stay current with vendor requirements, and, most importantly, satisfy

customers’ expectations.

With Windows® 7 end of life rapidly approaching, smaller organizations who are making the move from Windows 7

Professional to Windows 10 Pro face a choice—to upgrade their older, slower devices to Windows 10, or to replace their

aging devices with newer ones built with modern processors and components. Businesses might be tempted to keep older

devices to reduce capital expenses. But older devices might not meet the critical requirements of modern businesses, from

speed and agility to compatibility, security, and mobility needs.

To determine if that’s the case, Prowess Consulting tested a variety of devices powered by 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i5

processors running Windows 10 Pro against devices powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 processors running Windows

7 Professional to compare processor performance. We created real-world business scenarios to test processor speed for

a number of typical workflows that small businesses see every day. The results show that businesses updating to Windows

10 Pro saw better performance on these real-world scenarios when upgrading to devices capable of making full use of the

powerful capabilities offered by Windows 10 Pro compared to when simply updating their existing devices.

We also compared physical characteristics and specifications for the older and newer devices and found that the newer

laptops and desktops offered biometric features, greater support for newer peripherals, and—in the case of the laptops—

slimmer designs for increased portability.

Up to

3.4x fasterto export a graphics-rich Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation as a video on a Dell™ XPS™ 13 powered by Windows® 10 Pro

Up to

2.1x fasterto export a dynamic slideshow from MOVAVI®

Slideshow Maker on a Dell™ XPS™ 13 powered by Windows® 10 Pro

Up to

2x fasterto render a 3D graphic in Autodesk® AutoCAD®

on a Dell™ XPS™13 powered by Windows® 10 Pro

Up to

3.4x fasterto transcode a video on a Dell™ XPS™13 powered by Windows® 10 Pro

EMPOWER EMPLOYEES WITH MODERN TOOLSBusiness-targeted tests show that modern PCs running Windows® 10 Pro can deliver faster processing and solid performance, compared to older devices upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

Study conducted by Prowess Consulting and commissioned by Intel (October 2018).

2 |

Modern Scenarios for Small BusinessesToday’s small businesses must take into account employee, client, and vendor needs. Employees must

multitask, running several apps at the same time, and view more visual content in their daily work. The

employees that small businesses interact with are technically savvy and expect compelling video and

animation-reliant sales and marketing engagement experiences. Vendors have specific and complex

requirements for large file sharing and application use, high-definition (HD) video playback, spreadsheet

processing, online team collaboration, and even virtual-reality (VR) capabilities. Many visual content

demands are better met when business tools are up-to-date, making use of the quick processing speeds

and the current operating system of modern devices that are designed to deliver the fast, high-quality

rendering capabilities small businesses need to succeed.

Buyers can find plenty of benchmark tests and feature reviews from Microsoft, Intel, and third-party sites,

but benchmarks alone might not tell the whole story. At Prowess, we compared real-world performance

by running tasks relevant to small businesses.

Real-World ScenariosOur tests ran real-world business scenarios to compare older Dell™ devices powered by 3rd Generation

Intel Core i5 processors and upgraded to Windows 10 Pro against newer Dell devices powered by 8th

Generation Intel Core i5 processors running Windows 10 Pro. All characters and examples described in

the following scenarios are fictional composites provided for informational purposes only.

Table 1. Devices tested

Prior-Generation Devices, Powered by 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processors

Newer Devices, powered by

8th Generation Intel Core i5 processors

Desktop Laptop Desktop Laptop

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 3010 Dell™ Inspiron™ 14z

I14z-6000slv

Dell Inspiron i5680-

5790BLU

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

For our testing, we recreated intensive workflows that are relevant to modern small-business

organizations. We then organized those workflows into real-world scenarios that would simulate day-to-

day tasks conducted by typical small-business workers. The scenarios we tested included:

• Exporting a video from a Microsoft® PowerPoint® file

• Making dynamic slideshows with MOVAVI® Slideshow Maker

• Processing videos for social-media postings

• Rendering complex 3D graphics in Autodesk® AutoCAD®

3 |

Product Presentations Created Quickly and Seamlessly

In our first simulation, we used a hypothetical retail boutique to model exporting a PowerPoint

presentation to a slideshow video. A retail boutique saleswoman creates a visual-content-rich

PowerPoint presentation showcasing her store’s products.1 She uses built-in tools and animations

to detail special features, and she then exports the presentation to a slideshow video to show her

sales team.

When her business simply upgraded her older Dell™ Inspiron™ laptop from Windows 7 Professional

to Windows 10 Pro, developing creative work caused frustration. The older laptop’s CPU just wasn’t

efficient enough to handle the demanding task. A typical 22 MB 33-slide deck could take her as long

as seven minutes to export to a video on her laptop. After upgrading to a newer Dell™ XPS™ 13 laptop

powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and Windows 10 Pro, she can export the same

presentation to video in only two minutes, which is up to 3.4x faster when using a modern laptop.

A colleague using a desktop device also saw improvements. By simply upgrading Windows on his older

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 3010, he improved his video export speed by up to 1.6x. But by upgrading to a newer

Dell Inspiron i5680 PC running Windows 10 Pro, he saw gains of up to 1.9x, compared to the older

device running Windows 7 Professional.

Up to


Up to



Up to



Up to


Table 2. Exporting a video presentation from a Microsoft® PowerPoint® file

Laptop PC

Dell™ Inspiron™ 14z

Windows® 7 Professional

Dell Inspiron 14z

Windows 10 Pro

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

Windows 10 Pro

06:59 07:00 02:00

No gain 3.4x faster

Desktop PC

Dell™ OptiPlex™ 3010

Windows 7 Professional

Dell OptiPlex 3010

Windows 10 Pro

Dell Inspiron i5680-5790BLU

Windows 10 Pro

03:47 02:22 01:56

1.6x faster 1.9x faster

4 |

Dynamic Business Slideshows Made Quickly

In our second simulation, we used a hypothetical insurance company to model a slideshow scenario.

The communications manager of a small insurance company creates a short presentation for a

business meeting.1 He uses MOVAVI Slideshow Maker to import and collate photos, and then to create

a dynamic slideshow video to present to the leadership team at a meeting.

He can now export the same slideshow as a video file in less than half the time on his newer,

more powerful Dell XPS 13 laptop, built with an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor running

Windows 10 Pro.

Similarly, a colleague performing the same task on a desktop PC saw an up to 1.5x improvement after

upgrading to a newer Dell Inspiron i5680 PC powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and

running Windows 10 Pro.

Table 3. Creating a video slideshow from photos using MOVAVI® Slideshow Maker

Laptop PC



Dell Inspiron 14z

Windows 10 Pro

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

Windows 10 Pro

02:20 02:17 01:04

Minimal gain 2.1x faster

Desktop PC



Dell OptiPlex 3010

Windows 10 Pro


Windows 10 Pro

02:05 02:01 01:20


Videos Processed Faster for Social-Media Posting

In our third simulation, we used a hypothetical community sports center to model a social-media

video processing scenario. The social-media manager for a community sports center frequently uses

HandBrake to transcode videos into different sizes and codecs to meet a range of display needs and

platforms, from web posting to projecting to a large screen in the center’s auditorium.1

He used to get impatient with his older laptop PC, powered by a 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 processor

and running Windows 7 Professional, because he waited up to 2.5 hours for his 1.25 minute-long

92 MB videos to process. Now, with his newer laptop, powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core i5

processor and running Windows 10 Pro, he can transcode videos up to 3.4x faster.

The social-media manager also works from a desktop PC when he is in the office. On his desktop PC,

he saw a significant (2.3x) performance improvement by upgrading to a newer Dell desktop PC running

Windows 10 Pro, compared to simply upgrading Windows on his older desktop PC.

Up to


Up to



Up to



Up to


5 |

Table 4. Transcoding a video using the HandBrake application

Laptop PC



Dell Inspiron 14z

Windows 10 Pro

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

Windows 10 Pro

02:48:34 02:46:52 00:48:58


Desktop PC



Dell OptiPlex 3010

Windows 10 Pro


Windows 10 Pro

01:08:49 01:08:49 00:28:43

No gain 2.3x faster

Complex 3D Graphics Rendered Quickly

In our fourth simulation, we used a hypothetical architectural firm to model a complex 3D graphics

scenario. A small architectural firm uses AutoCAD software to render complex 3D images of sites,

buildings, and homes.1 The firm recently upgraded its desktop and laptop devices, in addition to

updating to Windows 10 Pro, and the company has since noticed a significant improvement in its

rendering capabilities.

Older devices, coupled with an outdated operating system, slowed down the design iteration and client

approval cycle. The firm’s newer laptops, powered by 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processors and

Windows 10 Pro, are capable of rendering up to 2x faster in AutoCAD.

Similarly, the designers working from desktop PCs saw an up to 1.6x performance gain by upgrading

from older devices to newer Dell Inspiron i5680 PCs powered by 8th Generation Intel Core i5

processors. Now, the design team saves time at every phase of development.

Up to


Up to



Up to



Up to


Up to


Up to



Up to



Up to


6 |

Table 5. Rendering 3D graphics in Autodesk® AutoCAD®

Laptop PC



Dell Inspiron 14z

Windows 10 Pro

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

Windows 10 Pro

24:44 24:59 12:16

No gain 2.0x faster

Desktop PC



Dell OptiPlex 3010

Windows 10 Pro


Windows 10 Pro

17:52 17:41 10:33


More Features Offered with Newer PCsProwess Consulting research and testing revealed a wide array of significant benefits delivered by

newer PCs running Windows 10 Pro, compared to updating older PCs from Windows 7 Professional to

Windows 10 Pro. In addition to our processor-speed testing, we reviewed features offered by the newer

devices and compared them to features offered on the older devices tested, and we found several key

differences important to small businesses.

The modern devices delivered fast performance on the workloads stated above, and they have

other benefits, as well. For example, biometric features and peripheral integration using USB-C® and

Thunderbolt™ 3, along with long battery life and sleek, light designs, provide easy portability, and

provide a more seamless mobile experience to help remote workers stay connected. Vendors and

clients can enjoy a more vibrant and collaborative business relationship with better integrated video

meeting and file sharing apps.

Modern Businesses Need Modern PCs

Modern PCs running on 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processors unlock the full benefits of Windows® 10, enabling

small businesses to thrive. An empowered workforce using modern devices can be more productive, and the right

hardware and software combination can help protect against today’s security threats, save on maintenance costs,

streamline business processes, and provide an outstanding customer experience.

7 |

Modern PCs with Windows 10 Pro Can Deliver Fast Performance, Low Costs, and a Better User ExperienceBusinesses making the transition from an outdated operating system to Windows 10 Pro can make the

best use of their investments when upgrading their devices in tandem. Newer PCs, powered by 8th

Generation Intel Core processors, offer fast processor speeds, compatibility with newer peripherals,

easy mobility, and advanced security features, compared to older PCs powered by 3rd Generation

Intel Core processors. In addition, better device performance can translate to a more efficient and

productive workforce, because users spend more time working and less time waiting. It’s no surprise

that faster and more reliable processing is critical in today’s business environments, and it can make a

big difference in employee, vendor, and customer satisfaction.

To keep employees productive, provide outstanding customer satisfaction, and meet vendor

requirements, small businesses are smart to upgrade office desktops and staff laptops to newer

devices built on 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processors.

8 |

Appendix A: Hardware, Software, and Test Equipment

3RD GENERATION INTEL® CORE™ I5 PROCESSOR–BASED DESKTOP

Device Dell™ OptiPlex™ 3010

Processor Intel Core i5-3570 processor

Model Number OptiPlex 3010

Storage Western Digital® 500 GB HDD 7k2 WD5000AAKX-60U6AA0

Memory 2 x 4 GB (Samsung® DDR3 PC3-12800 [800 MHz])

Graphics Intel® HD Graphics Family

Original Operating System Windows® 7 Professional Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Upgraded Operating System Windows 10 Pro 1803 17134.407

BIOS Dell Inc. A21, 5/28/2018

3RD GENERATION INTEL® CORE™ I5 PROCESSOR–BASED LAPTOP

Device Dell™ XPS™ 14 L421X

Processor Intel Core i5-3317U processor

Model Number P30G

Storage SanDisk® 240 GB SSD SDSSDA-240G

Memory 1 x 8 GB (Hyundai® Electronics DDR3L PC3-12800 [800 MHz])

Graphics Intel® HD Graphics 4000

Original Operating System Windows® 7 Professional Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Upgraded Operating System Windows 10 Pro 1803 17134.441

BIOS Dell Inc. A18, 05/14/2018

Dimensions 13.2 x 9.17 x 0.82 inches

Weight 4.54 pounds

Fingerprint Reader (Y/N) N

Thunderbolt™ (Y/N) N

Touchscreen N

Battery Design Capacity 70,450 mWh/4,671 mAh

Full Charge Capacity 83,810 mWh/5,557 mAh

8TH GENERATION INTEL® CORE™ I5 PROCESSOR–BASED DESKTOP

Device Dell™ Inspiron™ i5680-5790BLU

Processor Intel Core i5-8400 processor

Model Number Inspiron i5680-5790BLU

Storage 1 TB Seagate® HDD ST1000DM010

Memory 1 x 8 GB (Hyundai® Electronics DDR4-2400 [1,200 MHz])

Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Operating System Windows® 10 Pro 1803 17134.345

BIOS Dell Inc. 1.3.2, 7/18/2018

9 |

8TH GENERATION INTEL® CORE™ I5 PROCESSOR–BASED LAPTOP

Device Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370

Processor Intel Core i5-8250U processor

Model Number XPS 13 9370

Storage 256 GB Samsung® SSD PM981

Memory 2 x 4 GB (LPDDR3 on board)

Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 620

Operating System Windows® 10 Pro 1803 Build 17134.407

BIOS Dell Inc. 1.5.1, 8/9/2018

Dimensions 11.88 x 7.84 x 0.30–0.46 inches

Weight 2.8 pounds

Fingerprint Reader (Y/N) Y

Thunderbolt™ (Y/N) Y

Touchscreen Y

Battery Design Capacity 38,050 mWh/4,954 mAh

Full Charge Capacity 36,680 mWh/4,776 mAh

Appendix B: Step-by-Step Test Methods

All asset files were created in advance and only system actions were timed in order to avoid human

variability. Expert engineers recorded video of all steps in order to review and precisely capture only the

relevant system operations, as noted in the steps below:

CREATE MEDIA CONTENT FROM MICROSOFT® OFFICE PRODUCTS

1. Launch PowerPoint.

2. Click Open Other Presentations.

3. Click to open a 22 MB .pptx file containing 30 slides and 30 photos.

4. Click File.

5. Click Export.

6. Click Create a Video.

7. Click Presentation Quality.

8. Click Create Video.

9. Select a OneDrive folder for the export.

10. Click Save.

11. Record time to save file.

CREATE A VIDEO SLIDESHOW FROM A PHOTO ALBUM

1. Launch MOVAVI.

2. Select Create a montage in EASY MODE.

3. Select Files.

4. Add photos.

5. Click Open.

6. Click Next.

7. From Music, select Travel > Discovery.

8. Click Next.

9. From Transitions, select Random transitions.

10. Click Next.

10 |

11. From Preview, click Next.

12. Click Save the video.

13. Select Do it in Trial mode.

14. Click Start.

15. Record time to create video.

TRANSCODE PROFESSIONAL VIDEOS

1. Open HandBrake.

2. Click File – Open a single 92MB video file, and then select the workload file.

3. At the bottom of the window, specify a destination path for the output in the

Save As field.

4. In the Presets pane on the right, under Matroska, select H.265 MKV 1080p30.

5. In the Video tab, if using a system without Intel® Quick Sync Video:

a. Set the Video Codec to H.265 (x265).

b. Set the Framerate (FPS) to Same as source, and then select

Constant Framerate.

6. Click Start Encode. Encoding progress is displayed in the bottom of the window. When

the task is finished, the final results are recorded in the log file.

7. In the top menu bar, click Activity Log.

8. Scroll to the bottom of the Log Viewer. The last line should read

“# Encode Completed …”

9. Find the line that says “encoded xxxxx frames in xxx.xxx s (xx.xx fps), xxxx.xx kb/s, Avg

QP:xx.xx,” a few lines from the bottom.

10. Record the elapsed time in seconds as your result.

CREATE COMPLEX 3D GRAPHICS IN AUTOCAD

1. Start AutoCAD.

2. Click the Open Folder button at the top of the screen. Note: It looks like a folder icon.

3. Browse to the desktop, and then open the file called Mountain Lake House (a file

preconfigured with scripts to draw shapes).

4. Once the file is open, click Management, and then run a pre-configured script that

draws a circle and starts an animation screen. This will draw a circle and start the

animation screen.

5. Click the target icon in the section called Camera; use the default selection of the path.

6. Click to select the circle that was previously drawn.

7. Click the radial button for Point on the next section, titled Target, and then click the

target icon and click on the plus symbol in the middle of the house.

8. Change the Time to 10 seconds, the Visual Style to Realistic, and the Resolution

to 1024x768.

9. Click the Start button to start the animation rendering.

10. Save the file to the desktop with the default name.

11. Record time to save rendered file.

11 |

Appendix C: Test ResultsCREATE A VISUAL CONTENT–INTENSIVE MICROSOFT® POWERPOINT® PRESENTATION UP TO 3.4 TIMES FASTER

Laptop

Device and Operating System

Dell™ Inspiron™ 14z I14z-6000slv powered by a 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ processor and running Windows® 7 Professional

Dell Inspiron 14z I14z-6000slv powered by a 3rd Generation Intel Core processor and running Windows 10 Pro

Dell™ XPS™ 13 9370 powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core processor and running Windows 10 Pro

Time 0:06:59 0:07:00 0:02:00

Times Faster No gain 3.4

Desktop


Dell™ OptiPlex™ 3010 powered by a 3rd Generation Intel Core processor and running Windows 7 Professional

Dell OptiPlex 3010 powered by a 3rd Generation Intel Core processor and running Windows 10 Pro

Dell Inspiron i5680-5790BLU powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core processor and running Windows 10 Pro

Time 0:03:47 0:02:22 0:01:56

Times Faster 1.6 1.9

CREATE A VIDEO SLIDESHOW FROM A PHOTO ALBUM UP TO 2.1 TIMES FASTER

Laptop





Time 0:02:20 0:02:17 0:01:04

Times Faster Minimal gain 2.1

Desktop





Time 0:02:05 0:02:01 0:01:20


TRANSCODE PROFESSIONAL VIDEOS UP TO 3.4 TIMES FASTER

Laptop





Time 2:48:34 2:46:52 0:48:58


Desktop





Time 1:08:49 1:08:49 0:28:43


12 |

1 All characters and examples are fictional composites provided for informational purposes only.

The analysis in this document was done by Prowess Consulting and commissioned by Intel.

Performance results are based on testing by Prowess Consulting between October 1, 2018 and October 16, 2018, and may not reflect all publicly available security updates. See configuration disclosure for details. No product or component can be absolutely secure.

Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel® microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark® and MobileMark®, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. For more complete information visit www.intel.com/benchmarks.

Results have been simulated and are provided for informational purposes only. Any difference in system hardware or software design of configuration may affect actual performance.

Intel technologies' features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software or service activation. Performance varies depending on system configuration. No product or component can be absolutely secure. Check with your system manufacturer or retailer or learn more at intel.com.

Cost reduction scenarios described are intended as examples of how a given product, in the specified circumstances and configurations, may affect future costs and provide cost savings. Circumstances will vary. Prowess and Intel do not guarantee any costs or cost reduction.

Prowess and the Prowess logo are trademarks of Prowess Consulting, LLC.

Copyright © 2019 Prowess Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

RENDER COMPLEX 3D GRAPHICS IN UP TO HALF THE TIME

Laptop





Time 0:24:44 0:24:59 0:12:16


Desktop





Time 0:17:52 0:17:41 0:10:33


http://www.intel.com/benchmarks

http://intel.com

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